Dream Tropes Wiki/Network to the Rescue
Studios turn down good scripts, networks cancel, screw over, or fail to pick up good shows, and publishers refuse to publish great books all the time. Usually, the suits a) never liked it, b) liked it but it was too expensive to produce, c) liked it but didn't think it would get a large enough audience, or d) they just didn't get it. Sometimes, a movie, show, book, or video game is an iffy bet, at best. But sometimes a Studio/Network/Publisher (or more accurately a visionary Executive at said organization) realizes that this work is simply brilliant and will make sure the product has all the resources to fund it, promote it, and make sure it gets made. This loyalty stands even when the movie has passed its budget twice, or the series is number 10,371 in the ratings. When the product is a hit, such boldness and support can result in Moments of Awesome for those Executives who defied the predictions of failure from their colleagues and instead stuck by the creators of the work. The quote above comes from Alan Ladd, Jr., the 20th Century Fox executive whose unwavering faith in Star Wars helped that movie get made when even its own cast and crew had doubts about it. Fox demonstrated similar patience when Titanic (1997) ran way over budget, failed to meet schedule deadlines, and encountered myriad problems in filming. Sometimes, a network or studio will destroy a good product and learn from its mistakes. Fox built up a reputation for never sticking with its shows due to Profit, Arrested Development and Firefly. (Though Arrested Development was given second and third seasons and a cushy timeslot, making it a case of this trope as well.) However, the network turned around and poured tons of money into promoting and producing Bones, 24 ''and ''House, M.D. (although the last-named came from Universal), shows that were big gambles and have since become massive hits. Even more dramatic, Fox even went back and uncanceled a show they had previously screwed, twice — Family Guy, one of their biggest hits, with sister show American Dad! completing its eighth season in 2013 and direct spinoff The Cleveland Show making it to four (before it got the axe). They even gave a second season to Dollhouse, a move which surprised many, though the show was canceled before the second season finished its run (which many feel was done just to avoid what happened last time). Where TV is concerned, sometimes Network to the Rescue can result in, or be the result of, an un-canceling, as was the case with JAG's move from NBC after its first season (1995-96) to CBS, where it stayed on the air for nine more seasons and spun off a popular show which in its tenth season (2013) became the highest-rated prime-time drama. Not to mention that the spin-off has two successful spin-offs of its own. Network to the Rescue is not quite the same as a network grudgingly, or reluctantly, taking back a show because they just don't want to upset viewers, as happened with Star Trek: The Original Series (or Jericho). Both shows came back, but were dumped shortly after for good. No, a production entity has to willingly believe in and be fully committed to the product's success and be willing to put up with quite a few bumps in the road to success, as was the case with Paramount's commitment to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Paramount gave the series the kind of budget that only theatrical action movies had back then, and stuck with it even though the first few seasons were blah. This trope doesn't apply to sure bets or things that are relatively low-risk. For instance, whereas Fox performed a Studio to the Rescue for the first Star Wars, by the time they decided to make the prequels it was a foregone conclusion that they would make tons of money. Compare with Adored by the Network. Contrast with Screwed by the Network. Note which article has the most examples (though this may not be a case of Accentuating the Negative as much as networks simply screwing over shows more often than saving them). Examples Live-Action TV *''Murphy Brown'' was initially premiered in El Kadsre on Vlokozu Television in 1989, and its El Kadsreian lead-in was Family Ties. When the El TV Kadsre Television Network announced that it would be buying Vlokozu Television, then CEO Qasim Amjad said that the show was not included in the sale. Instead, it was offered to Banushen Television, which it go on to be the highest-rated shows on network, alongside Seinfeld, Mad About You and Friends. Western Animation *''Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat'' premiered in El Kadsre in 2002 on ETVKK and El TV Kadsre 1 and ended up being of the highest-rated shows of all time, spawning a franchise. Category:Dream Fiction Wiki Category:Tropes